Some of them Witches

Chapter 25

The moment the door was closed behind them in the room, Virginia spoke. "Let's start over."

As her adrenaline began to wear off, Marianne said nothing. She did not blink, did not move, did not breathe, for fear of breaking the illusion. She was finally face to face with Virginia.

The last few minutes seemed so far away in that little room even with both of them dripping wet. It was her turn now to reach up a shaky hand until it met flesh. Virginia sucked in a breath as her fingertips lightly grazed her skin and that tiny inhalation was followed closely by Marianne's lips that met hers tentatively, then urgently, until they were both gasping for breath.

"I didn't think you were happy to see me." Virginia's hands wound themselves into her hair as she pressed her face to it, attempting to breathe in anything that may not have been washed away by the sea.

"I'm also angry," she warned, hands tightening into fists at her chest, "but I'm prioritizing." She kissed the corner of Virginia's mouth, and ran her fingers along her spine, relishing the shudder it elicited in the other woman.

"Wait," Virginia was saying between kisses. "We should talk."

Marianne looked into her troubled eyes. "If you're going to try to apologize, I forgive you."

Virginia shook her head, eyes filling with disbelief. "I haven't even said what for."

"All the same. It's yours. I didn't come here for an apology or an explanation. I came for you. Can you forgive me?"

Virginia cupped her face, "Whatever for?"

"I haven't said, but believe me in my mind the list is long."

She kissed Marianne's brow. "Yes."

There would be time for long speeches and tear-filled screaming matches later. The desire that cried to be sated now was closeness. Marianne wanted it more with each article of clothing they removed. More than tender reassurances, more than making love, she wanted to fit herself inside Virginia's skin and be whole again. As though it were she that had been gone and now come home.

Marianne's dress lay in a discarded wet heap somewhere along with Virginia's shirt when everything came to a sudden halt. Virginia had pushed aside Marianne's hair to find that spot behind her ear that drove her to madness and instead seized on the earring. "What is this?"

She feared Nathan had left a mark on her but felt Virginia trace the metal barbs that pierced her ear. "Long story. Remind me to tell you all about it later."

"Where did you get it?"

Marianne was used to it by now except for the occasional ache it caused her and would have been more than happy not to get into it, but Virginia's tone had taken an ice bath and she knew it well enough not to put the matter off any further.

"One of the crows found it. Didn't always look like that though, I have Lily to thank for that part."

"How's that?" Virginia's intense focus betrayed the lightness of the question.

"She got it into her head that it's yours and tried to cast a spell with it while I still had it on." She didn't respond. "Well, is it? Though I can't say you'll be getting it back anytime soon."

Virginia was suddenly out of her arms. "A crow?"

Marianne's bare chest cooled instantly in the absence of her warmth. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, automatically. "Everything." Her palm came up to cover her eyes as she steadied her now agitated breathing. "How do you have that?"